Thackeray at Work

The study of Thackerays major fiction reconstructs the novelists working methods with the help of manuscript material, much of it previously unpublished. The books main argument is directed against the commonplace view that Thackeray was in some way a careless artist. Much that appears casual or unpremeditated in his work can in fact be explained by the mode of composition which he developed in response both to the publishing conditions of his age and to his own artistic temperament. An appreciation of Thackerays writing habits helps clear up much of the critical confusion which has surrounded his reputation in the last hundred years. A particular feature of interest in the book is the use made of Thackerays preparatory working materials. These were widely dispersed after the writers death and have never been comprehensively examined.